Obesity
Obesity is a condition in which an individual is significantly overweight, and an excessive amount of body fat has accumulated under the chin and on the breasts, belly, buttocks, and/or thighs
Though it is not a serious case in itself, it may shorten the span of life, as well as create diminished efficiency and happiness. Diabetes, heart disease, stroke, hypertension, high cholesterol, some types of cancers are major health risks due to obesity.
Causes of Obesity
- Overeating
- Excessive intake of heavy or cold food and drinks
- Oversleeping
- Lack of exercise
- Frequent snacking
- Eating processed food and leftovers
- Eating while multi-tasking
- Eating food that is not suitable to one’s body type
Benefits of Ayurvedic Treatment
In Ayurveda, obesity is regarded as medoroga, a disorder of meda dhatu, which includes fat tissue and fat metabolism. According to Ayurveda obesity begins with imbalance of doshas (Vata, Pita, and Kapha), an imbalance of agni (digestive fire), an imbalance of the malas (waste products) or an imbalance of shrotas (microcirculatory channels). This collection of imbalances then interferes with the formation of tissues or dhatus and leads to a tissue imbalance that we experience as excess weight.
From Ayurvedic perspective the cause of weight gains is cyclical. It begins with balance reducing choices in diet and lifestyle that weaken the digestive fire, which in turns increases toxins, clogging the communication channels shrotas and thereby disrupting the formation of tissues. The poorly formed tissue layers increases meda dhatu and an imbalance in Kapha Dosha. This in turn increases accumulation of toxins (ama), which leads to imbalance in meda dhatu. Ayurveda views weight imbalance and obesity as something that should be corrected before it can contribute to other health problem.
Some of the treatments to deal with obesity are as follows:
- Lifestyle Correction
- Dietary Correction
